Mrs. Chestnut, about your daughter..."
by CSHayden
Summary: Poor Marron... she's in the principal's office but that's not what's worrying her --


**"Mrs. Chestnut, about your daughter...."**

by C.S. Hayden

All characters are the property of Akira Toriyama, DragonBall Z and Toei Animation.

Marron stared miserably at her shoes. The other girls' parents had already gone into Mr. Fitzpatrick's office, their muffled voices rising and falling indignantly through the thick door. She could hear hissing whispers a few seats away and ventured a sidelong glance through the blonde fringe of her bangs. Jetta and her cronies were huddled together, gossiping as usual and casting vicious looks at her.

"This is it, Chestnut," Jetta taunted from the safety of her little social club. "Once my dad is through with Fitzpatrick, you'll be expelled and no school in town will take you."

"Where's your little shrimp of a father?" another girl, Missy or Muffy -- Marron could never keep their silly names straight - sneered as she popped her gum. "Betcha he's too scared to come."

The outer office door opened and firm footsteps strode towards them. Marron looked up and nearly fainted with relief. "Mom!"

Eighteen ignored the other girls and went straight to her daughter. The ex-android was dressed in a chic pants suit and perfectly groomed - but with a no-nonsense look in her eye. "Are you all right?" she demanded. "What was that moron talking about?"

"I'm okay," Marron answered reluctantly, not wanting to blubber in front of everyone, "but they started it."

"Did not!"

"Liar!!"

Looking over her daughter's shoulder, Eighteen swept a frigid stare over the covey of girls that stunned them into silence. She took in the disheveled state of their clothes, the assorted bruises and bumps, and large bald patches in their hair. Turning back to Marron, she gave her the barest smile.

"I see you took my advice."

Marron shrugged apologetically. "Well, I did try Dad's solution but it just wasn't working for me." She tried to appear downtrodden but she looked up long enough to wink at her mother. Eighteen nodded, clearly pleased.

Inwardly she had to admit that fighting back had been more satisfying than trying to follow the rules. When Marron had first started having problems with Jetta, Krillin suggested keeping a record of her harassments so she would have something to prove it. Eighteen's solution was more practical - she started sparring with Marron at home, over Krillin's protests. She and her mother finally got him to agree that it wouldn't hurt for Marron to have a practical knowledge of self-defense. What her father **_didn't_** know was that she learned much dirtier fighting when she and her mother practiced out at her uncle's place in the woods.

The door opened and Mr. Fitzpatrick stepped out. "What's all this commotion?" he harrumphed, jowls flapping like a bulldog. He glared at Marron. "Haven't you caused enough trouble for one day? I thought I told you to sit there until your mother comes!"

Stepping between them, Eighteen said coolly, "That would be me."

"M-mrs. Chestnut?"

"Yes." Eighteen looked at him like he was a cockroach. "I'm here. What's the problem?" Her eyes narrowed. "I believe you assured my husband that you were going to take care of those girls that were harassing my daughter."

"Yes, but--"

"Marron?" Eighteen turned her head to look back over her shoulder. "You did bring that book with you? That journal that you were keeping of all the incidents?"

The blonde-haired girl gave the principal a glare just like her mother's. "He took it from me. He thinks I'm making it all up."

"Oh, does he?" Eighteen tossed her handbag to Marron. "Give Bulma a ring, will you? I may be late." She put a finger in the center of Mr. Fitzpatrick's chest with an audible thump. "Now, I want your full attention..." Eighteen prodded the principal back into his office and slammed the door behind her.

Marron swallowed hard and pushed Bulma's number on the speed dial. There was a shriek within the office from Jetta's mother.

"Capsule Corporation, Trunks here."

"Trunks? Where's Auntie Bulma?"

"On her way to meet your mom for shopping, where else?" He laughed but his laughter broke off suddenly. "Hey, aren't' you supposed to be in school right now? Is everything okay?"

"I am in school - but never mind that. Mom's having a 'talk' with the principal," Marron winced as there was a thud against the wall, "and she wanted Bulma to know she was going to be late."

There was a noticeable pause. "Eighteen's talking to the principal?"

"Yes." She rolled her eyes.

"Is the school still standing?"

"Yes." Glass tinkled as a picture crashed onto the floor. "Well, most of it, anyway."

"Where's your dad?"

"I'm not sure," Marron admitted. "He was taking the day off to do something with Uncle Goku. Goten's supposed to be filling in for him at the dojo."

"Oh-kay," Trunks sighed. "I'll pass the word along to Mom and I'll see if Dad and I can track Krillin down."

"Thanks."

"And for Kami's sake, Mar... take cover."

As Marron tucked the phone back in her mother's handbag, the level of voices in Mr. Fitzpatrick's office skyrocketed. One of the fathers bellowed but Eighteen punctured his argument with a few sharp words. Marron chewed on her lip and glanced over at the other girls. She could live without Jetta and Muffy-whazername but the rest of them were relatively harmless. Finally the conscience that she inherited from her father won out.

"Hey!" she hissed urgently. "Come on! You guys need to come over here!"

Jetta wrinkled up her face until she looked like a female version of Oolong. "No way, twerp. I don't care what's going on in there, you can't tell me what to do."

Marron threw her hands up. "I don't think you understand. My mom fought in the World Martial Arts Tournament. She's a very powerful fighter."

"No, she isn't!" Muffy countered. "Hercule beat her."

"That's just what people think," Marron snapped back. "Mom can take out whole cities if she wants to. You should get away from the office wall before you get hurt."

"Listen to her!" Jetta snorted. "What a liar! Just because she has your dad whipped doesn't make her some kind of superhero!"

"Oh-kay, fine." Marron stood up and backed away from Fitzpatrick's office. "Have it your way. I just hope your family has decent health coverage. You're gonna need it."

The panel wall suddenly bulged as something collided with the inside wall. Several of the lesser members of her gang bolted but Jetta and Muffy held their ground. The door burst open and Eighteen stepped out, holding Mr. Fitzpatrick up by the back of his jacket. His hair was sticking up over his left ear and some of it was still sizzling. He gulped and straightened his glasses.

"Well?" Eighteen was perfectly calm but there was underlying edge to her voice.

Mr. Fitzpatrick cleared his throat. "Jetta, Muffy - you'd better join your parents in my office. We need to discuss your school suspensions."

"What!" Jetta was aghast. "What are you talking about? Don't you know who my father is?"

"Oh, yes," said Eighteen said smoothly. "And now he knows who I am." A faint moan came out of the office.

The color drained out of Jetta's face. "But-- but--"

"Mrs. Chestnut?"

Eighteen released the principal and absently smoothly his jacket. "See? It wasn't that difficult to be fair and unbiased, was it? I bet it feels good to do the right thing."

Marron bit the inside of her lip to keep a sober face.

"Yes, I see that now." He straightened his lapels and looked around before leaning in to say, "And you'll live up to your end of the bargain?"

"Of course." Eighteen smiled sweetly. "I can be very reasonable."

Mr. Fitzpatrick nodded curtly and returned to his office.

Eighteen reached over and put an arm around Marron's shoulders. "Come along, darling. I've checked you out of school for the rest of the day. You can have lunch with Bulma and I."

"Mom? What did you do?"

"Just a little friendly negotiation." Eighteen shrugged and led Marron out into the hallway.

"Mooooooooooooom...."

Eighteen rolled her eyes. "Really, Marron - why do you and your father think the worst of me?" She smirked. "Don't answer that. All I did was impress upon those morons that their stuck-up little princesses don't have any right to push you around. That worm of a principal cowered every time those rich snobs said anything, so I gave him something more immediate to worry about."

Marron raised an eyebrow. "You?"

"Of course. I took him aside and told him if he didn't develop a backbone and discipline those prima donnas, I was going rip out his spine and replace it with something else."

"Oh, Mom!" She groaned inwardly just thinking of the rumors that would flying around the school by the end of the day.

"What?" Eighteen blinked blandly. "It worked."

They walked outside just in time to see Bulma's jetcar circling in. Marron shaded her eyes as she watched it descend.

"So what did you promise Mr. Fitzpatrick?"

"That I would never do another parent/teacher conference again." Eighteen crossed her arms and smiled smugly. "I said I'd send your uncle."

Marron's initial gape of astonishment turned into a grin of admiration. "Dad was right," she exclaimed breathlessly. "You **are** evil!"

"I certainly try, dear."

The End.


End file.
